Look out for big names expanding into other regions
There are increasing numbers of world-class producers to be found deploying their exceptional resources and expertise in lesser-known regions, where the potential is huge but the expense of making great wine much lower.
Chapoutier’s Bila Haut operation is one of the benchmarks, with exceptional, expert winemaking and handpicked terroirs resulting in wonderful (and very high-scoring) wines without the corresponding price tag.
Take proximity into account
Whilst the great Grand Crus, best villages and top Chateaux may produce the most sought-after wines, there are often wonderful sites in close proximity producing wines with a similar character, available for only a fraction of the price.
Malconsorts, Brulees and Chaumes are all worth seeking out in the billionaire’s hunting ground of Vosne Romanee. For the Rhône fans, Cornas, Gigondas and Vacqueras are value hot spots.
Look around the flagship sites and you are bound to find some neighbouring Premier Crus or villages with some very special wines to offer.
Great vintages mean that everyone can show at their best
2009 and 2010 were benchmark years in Bordeaux, universally acclaimed with a host of hugely-scoring wines. While the top-tier wines from these vintages are sublime (and unsurprisingly expensive), there is a lot to be said for taking a look at the more affordable wines from these exceptional years. Even at the lower levels, these wines can punch well above their weight and taste much more expensive than they actually are – often performing better than some very famous names do in lesser years.
Don’t discount négociants in Burgundy
Once derided for lacking the character, charm and perhaps romance of the small artisanal grower/producer, these large-scale winemaking operations have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with many now responsible for some of the most consistent quality in the region.
Buying in produce from a variety of growers and winemakers, the best négociants are able to cherry-pick ideal parcels and sources, while their state-of-the-art winemaking facilities allow them to hugely improve quality and finesse.
Louis Jadot and Faiveley in particular are now making spectacularly good wines across the board. They have both crafted very good wines in lesser vintages (where others have struggled) and produced simply superb wines in the great years.
Bourgogne Blanc – an affordable window into some absolute icons
Bourgogne Blanc can provide a fantastic and accessible insight into the house style of many of the best Burgundian names and at its best can offer serious value and quite exceptional quality.
Usually dominated by Chardonnay, Bourgogne Blanc not infrequently contains declassified grapes from top villages, meaning that a basic Bourgogne Blanc can often contain all the elements of a hugely superior wine crafted into a recognisable house style.
Look out for Henri Boillot, Leroy, Etienne Sauzet and one of our favourites: Mischief & Mayhem. They all offer that rarest of things: a true bargain from Burgundy.
The grower Champagne phenomenon
Grower Champagnes are fast becoming the shrewd buyer's first choice for fine wine value. Stemming from fruit growers who keep some (often the best) stocks back to bottle under their own labels rather than sell to the big players, these are small-scale, artisanal efforts of frequently immense quality and style, particularly for the price.
There is an almost limitless range of styles to be found, but look out for Tarlant for Krug-style, long barrel-aged complexity without the premium price. Paul Bara is also a rich and creamy F+R favourite.
